merry-go-round
Americannoun
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Also called carousel. (in amusement parks, carnivals, etc.) a revolving, circular platform with wooden horses or other animals, benches, etc., on which people may sit or ride, usually to the accompaniment of mechanical or recorded music.
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a rapid whirl or a busy round, as of social life or business affairs.
noun
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another name for roundabout
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a whirl of activity or events
the merry-go-round of the fashion world
Usage
What is a merry-go-round? A merry-go-round is an amusement park ride that consists of a revolving, circular platform with wooden horses or other fixtures, as in Sofia and Camila begged their parents to ride the merry-go-round with them. A merry-go-round is also known as a carousel. People sit on the fixtures, while the platform goes around slowly and cheery (some might say “cheesy”) music plays.Merry-go-round can also be used figuratively to refer to a whirl, or a busy round, of activity, as in Sports fans are always delighted by the merry-go-round of the trading season. Example: I always enjoyed listening to carnival music when I rode the merry-go-round as a kid.
Etymology
Origin of merry-go-round
First recorded in 1720–30
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I’m not sure how to step off the merry-go-round.
From MarketWatch
Just as Pa thought Judgment Day had come, the outhouse started spinning around like the merry-go-round at the county fair.
From Literature
She said people who "don't want to risk going on the torturous merry-go-round and trying to get another slot...might take the risk, unfortunately, of cheating."
From BBC
But for all the fun it is, this show pony might as well be on a merry-go-round.
There would be the wobbly start as owner and club got acquainted, a few spins of the managerial merry-go-round, investment in the squad, improvement, promotion, consolidation, sale.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
